Russell Brand’s past marriage to Katy Perry was reportedly blocked from being mentioned in his London rape and sexual assault trial.
According to legal submissions obtained by The Telegraph on Thursday, November 5, Brand, 51, and his legal team successfully challenged the inclusion of Perry, 42, in the prosecution’s opening statement, claiming it was unrelated to the allegations.
“The prosecution recognizes that matters post-2009 involving his relationship with Katy Perry may be sensitive, as may his previous faiths, and we are content to remove these from the opening,” lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC said in pretrial submissions obtained by the U.K. publication.
The Crown Prosecution Service also confirmed that Perry was not asked for a witness statement during the investigation into Brand.
“We followed all reasonable lines of inquiry in statements that would have been relevant to the specific charges, and I’m satisfied that all reasonable lines of inquiry were covered,” senior Crown prosecutor David Roberts stated.
Perry and Brand began dating in 2009 before getting married during a Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan, India, the following year. The pair later separated in December 2011 and had their divorce finalized the next year.
Brand was found guilty by a London jury of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault on Thursday. He was also found not guilty on two other counts of rape and one of attempted indecent assault, which was reduced from indecent assault during the trial.
According to Deadline, the judge warned Brand that he would be given a “significant custodial term.” He is expected to be sentenced on Monday, November 9.
Brand previously entered a not guilty plea before he was tried on the seven sexual offense charges, all of which he denied.
After the verdict was read, Brand reportedly mouthed to his defense team, “I’m good, I’m good.”
The comedian’s father, Ron Brand, had a little more to say after the trial, telling the BBC that he was “bemused and shocked” by the verdicts.
“I just didn’t expect this — it’s wrong,” Ron said. “It’s devastating.”
Multiple women accused Russell of sexual assault, rape and emotional abuse, with the allegations spanning from 1999 to 2013. Several of the accusations were put under the spotlight in Channel 4’s 2023 documentary Russell Brand: In Plain Sight.
Russell’s defense argued that this documentary “poisoned the well of justice deliberately” and “fundamentally corrupted” his accusers.
If you have experienced sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.
